Movable doll eyes



Feb. 11, 1947. HQLESTINE 2,415,689

. MOVABLE DOLL EYES Filed Aug. 29, 1945 INVENTOR.

Ma]: 21 H 1:1 2 sT-Lna ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 11, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOVABLE DOLL EYESMabel Holestine, Kirkwood, Mo. Application August 29,1945, Serial No.613,263

6 ('Jiaims. 1

This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to eyeballsimulations and eyeball mountings for dolls and the like.

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel mobile,eyeball simulation and a mounting therefor which will permit rolling ofthe eyeball simulation in paths longitudinally of the head or body ofthe object containing it, as well as in paths transversely thereof.Therefore, the simulations, when properly mounted in the head of a doll,for instance, will provide simulated closing of the eyes as well asrolling of the eyes from side to side.

Another important object is to provide an eyeball simulation mounting ofsimple but sturdy construction for cooperation with an eyeballsimulation of novel construction.

Several factors contribute toward the improper and the properfunctioning of eyeball simulations for dolls. They must be particularlymobile and their motions not impeded by frictional engagement with thedoll head or complicated mountings. They must be light in weight. Theymust present, in rolling, as natural appearance as possible. That is,their limits of movement, transversely of the head must be limited tothe extent the human eye may roll. These factors have been taken intoconsideration in the novel eyeball simulation and its mounting,

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following detailed description of the invention, takenin connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of thisinvention, and in which drawing:

Figure l is a fragmentary vertical section through a vertical1y-disposeddoll head wherein is contained the novel simulated eyeball and mounting,also in section.

Figure 2 is a similar view but with the head inclined, as in a so-calledsleeping position.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the new eyeball simulation and mounting withportions of a doll head shown to illustrate positions of parts while theeyeball simulations have reached one limit of rolling.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the novel eyeball simulation.

Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of two portions of the mountingtherefor.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of the invention and wherein similar referencecharacters throughout the several views, the.1et-

ter A designates the new eyeball simulation, the

2 1 letter B the novel mounting associated therewith, C, a weightedactuator for the eyeball simulation A, and D a doll head.

The eyeball simulation A comprises a hollow body portion in with thewall thereof curved to represent the front part of a human eyebalL'w-iththe outer surface thereof Slightly raised as at H and carrying an irisl2 and pupil l3. This body portion It has an edge 14 providing a majoropening l5 and an arcuate opening l6 extending from the edge l4 towardthe iris '-|-2 but falling short thereof, as may be seen in Figure 4.The wall of this 'arcuate opening l6 has, of course, an edge H. Theinner surface of the body portion i0 is designated as I8. A

The mounting B includes a substantially semispherical hollow member orshell 20, being only partly spherical but greater than a hemisphere, asphere 2|, partly covered by the member '20 and over the surface ofwhich it slides, a mo'unt ing or support pin 22 for the sphere and astop pin 23 projecting from thesphere 2|.

The substantially semi 'spherical; hollow member 2!) is, preferably,smooth-surfaced, especially as for its under or inner surface 24 and issmaller in radius than the body portion l0. By referring to Figure 5, itwill be noted that extending from the edge 25 of the member 20 are aplurality of spaced apart cutouts 26, and an arcuate opening 21 hasanedge 28. The reason for these will be explained in connection with thesphere 2|.

This sphere 2| is of a size to mount the member 20 in such a way thatthe material of the member 20, to either side of the cutouts 26 may bebent, for example, over portionsof the surface 29 of the sphere 2| sothat the edges 30 of the cutouts will substantially meet, as in Figure1, for instance, and thus retain the member 20 from dropping from thesphere 2|, yet the former may slide over the surface of the sphere. Ofcourse, the member 20 must encompass over half the area of the sphere 2|exclusive of the area thereof not covered because of the arcuate opening21, so that the member 20 will not become accidentally detached from thesphere 2|.

Secured to and extending radially from the sphere 2| is the elongatedsupport pin 22. This may be a fairly stout 'pin the free end of theshank thereof bein adapted to extend into and be anchored in thematerial of the doll h'ead D. This pin 22 provides more than a support,as will be subsequently explained.

The stop pin 23 is, preferably a short one, extending radially from thesphere 2| and with the axes of the two pins forming substantially adinal axes of the arcuate openings Hi openings l6 and 21 intersecting.That is, the

axis of the opening 21 intersects the axis of the opening l6 within thelimits of the opening IS.

The length of the stop pin 23 extending from the sphere 2| isinsufiicient to contact the inner surface [8 of the body portion H], butwill contact the edge 28 of the arcuate opening 2'1. Thus the pin 23limits movement of the member 28 with respect to the sphere 2|. Anexample of this may be seen in Figure 3.

It is also obvious, as in Figure 1, that the support pin 22 prevents theweight 31', being acted upon by gravity, from drawing the eyeballsimulation around so that the iris |2 and pupil |3 would disappear in anupward direction, and it will be noted, as in Figure 2, that the supportpin 22 has also the function of limiting movement of the member ID withrespect to the sphere 2|, since the edge ll of the opening [6 contactsthe shank 22 at times (when the head D is in a horizontal or nearlyhorizontal position) and the pin 23 is prevented from leaving thearcuate opening 21.

, The eyeball simulation A and mounting B, with the actuator C, may bemarketed as a unit. Either one of two methods of assembly is possible.The portion In, member 20, with the cutouts 26 open, as in Figure 5, andactuator C are,

secured together by the body. 39, which may be solder, cement, a modernplastic material or any other suitable material having adhesive andhardening characteristics. This assembly may then be mounted upon thesphere 2| carrying the 7 pins 22 and 23 and the material of the member20, between the cutouts 26 bent over the sphere 2| as in Figures 1 and2, thus securing the assembly A and C to the mounting B, but so thatthere maybe movement of the member 2% over the sphere 2| or the member29 may first be mov- I ably secured to the sphere 2| and then the otherportions mounted upon the member 2%).

The doll head D maybe of any suitable hardened plastic material and thefree end of the pin 22 inserted into the body it! of this material belowthe eye openings 4| in the head, these open ings being shaped to conformto the eyeball simulation.

Normally when the head D is at rest and dis.- posed as in Figure l, thepupil i3 and iris i2 of each eyeball simulation A will occupysubstantially the center of each opening 4 and the axes of the pins 22and 23 will intersect the longituand 21 respectively. However, when thehead D is tipped, as in Figure 2 gravity will cause the eyeballsimulation A to move so that the iris i2 and pupil -|3 will disappearand there will be the appea ance of closed eyes. Should the head berolled from side to side, hile the same is in the position shown inFigure 2, the eyeball simulation A will not move, as may be appreciatedfrom the positions of the pins 22 and 23 at the extreme inner ends oftheir respective arcuate openings.

On the other hand, when the head is in the pending,

a position shown in Figure 1, when the head is rolled from side to sidethe pins do not impede moderate rolling of the eyeball simulation, butexcessive rolling of the eyeball simulation is prevented (since thepirrs contact the edges of their respective arcuate openings).

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a simple, economical assemblyof eyeball simulation and mounting therefor is provided, wherein thereis no complicated attachment of mounting to doll head, nor eyeballsimulation to mounting. Yet a, very lifelike rolling of the doll eyes ispossible, as well as disappearance of the iris and pupil, simulatingclosed eyes.

Various changes may be made to the form of the invention herein shownand described without departing from the spirit of the invention orscope'of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a rolling doll eye assembly, a, hollow, mobile, eyeballsimulation, provided with a major opening and a minor arcuate openingextending to the major opening and toward the iris of the eye; aweighted arm; a hollow, semi-cylindrical member with the major portionthereof disposed within said hollow eyeball simulation and spacedtherefrom, said member having a major opening facing said arcuateopening, I and an arcuate opening extending from said last-named majoropening and facing the interior surface of said hollow eyeballsimulation; means connecting said eyeball simulation, semi-sphericalmember and said weighted arm, with the weight thereof depending, and thearm thereof extending outwardly and downwardly from the rear portion ofsaid eye assembly; a sphere with the major portion thereof disposedwithin said hollow, semi-spherical member; a stop pin mounted upon saidsphere and disposed within the secondnamed arcuate opening; and asupport pin extending from the sphere and disposed within the paths oftravel of the walls of said firstnamed arcuate opening and the edge ofsaid semi-spherical member. 7

2. In a'rolling doll eye assembly, a hollow, mobile; eyeball simulation,provided with a major opening and a minor arcuate opening extending tothe major opening and toward the iris of the eye; a weighted arm; ahollow, semi-cylindrical member with the major portion thereof disposedwithin said hollow eyeball simulation and spaced therefrom, said memberhaving a major opening facing said arcuate opening, and an arcuateopening extending from said last-named major opening and facing theinterior surface of said hollow-eyeball simulation; means connecting.said eyeball simulation, semi-spherical member and said weighted arm,with the weight thereof deand the arm thereof extending outwardly anddownwardly from the rear portion of said eye assembly; a sphere with themajor portion thereof disposed within said hollow, semi-sphericalmember; a stop pin mounted upon said sphere and disposed within thesecond-named arcuate opening, extending radially toward and fallingshort of said eyeball simulation; and a, support pin extending from thesphere and disposed within the paths of travel of the walls of saidfirstnamed arcuate opening and the edge of said semispherical member.

3. In a rolling doll eye assembly, a hollow, mobile, eyeball simulation,provided with a major to the major opening and toward the iris of theeye; a weighted arm; a hollow, semi-cylindrical member with the majorportion thereof disposed within said hollow eyeball simulation andspaced therefrom, said member having a major opening facing said arcuateopening, and an arcuate opening extending from said last-named majoropening and facing the interior surface of said hollow eyeballsimulation; means connecting said eyeball simulation, semi-sphericalmember and said weighted arm, with the weight thereof depending, and thearm thereof extendingoutwardly and downwardly from the rear portion ofsaid eye assembly; a sphere with the major portion thereof disposedwithin said hollow, semi-spherical member; a stop pin mounted upon saidsphere and disposed within the second named arcuate opening; extendingradially toward and falling short of said eyeball simulation; and asupport pin extending from the sphere and disposed within the paths oftravel of the walls of said firstnamed arcuate opening and the edge ofsaid semispherical member, the axes of said pins forming substantially aright angle.

4. In a rolling doll eye assembly, a hollow, mobile, eyeball simulation,provided with a major opening and a minor arcuate opening extending tothe major opening and toward the iris of the eye; a weighted arm; ahollow, semi-cylindrical member with the major portion thereof disposedwithin said hollow eyeball simulation and spaced therefrom, said memberhaving a major opening facing said arcuate opening, and an arcuateopening extending from said last-named major opening and facing theinterior surface of said hollow eyeball simulation; means connectingsaid eyeball simulation, semi-spherical member and said weighted arm,with the weight thereof depending, and the arm thereof extendingoutwardly and downwardly from the rear portion of said eye assembly,comprising a body portion extending from said eyeball simulation andsemi-spherical member at the edge portion of said eyeball simulation andat the portion of said semi-spher ical member opposite said second namedarcuate opening; a sphere with the major portion thereof disposed withinsaid hollow, semi-spherical member; a stop pin mounted upon said sphereand disposed within the second-named arcuate opening; and a support pinextending from the sphere and disposed within the paths of travel of thewalls of said first-named arcuate opening and the edge of saidsemi-spherical member.

5. In a rolling doll eye assembly, a hollow, mobile, eyeball simulation,provided with a major opening and a minor arcuate opening extending tothe major opening and toward the iris of the eye; a Weighted arm; ahollow, semi-cylindrical member with the major portion thereof disposedwithin said hollow eyeball simulation and spaced therefrom, said memberhaving a major opening facing said arcuate opening, and an arcuateopening extending from said last-named major opening and facing theinterior surface of said hollow eyeball simulation; the longitudinalaxes of said arcuate openings intersecting each other and formingsubstantially a right angle; means connecting said eyeball simulation,semi-spherical member and said weighted arm, with the weight thereofdepending, and the arm thereof extending outwardly and downwardly fromthe rear portion of said eye assembly; a sphere with the major portionthereof disposed within said hollow, semi-spherical member; a stop pinmounted upon said sphere and disposed within the second-named arcuateopening; and a support pin extending from the sphere and disposed withinthe paths of travel of the walls of said first-named arcuate opening andthe edge of said semispherical member.

6. A mounting for an eyeball simulation for the hollow heads of figures,said mounting comprising a substantially spherical body; an elongatedpin extending radially therefrom; a second pin extending radiallytherefrom, and a semispherical, movable shell extending over a portionof said sphere greaterthan one-half the area thereof, in face to facecontact, said shell having an edge and an arcuate opening extending fromsaid edge, said elongated pin being disposed in the path of movement ofsaid edge of said shell, and said second pin being disposed in saidarcuate opening, the position of said elongated pin being such that saidedge will contact said elongated pin and prevent movement of said shellto a position wherein said second pin is outside said arcuate opening.

MABEL HOLESTINE.

